Forty Reasons for Not Interpreting the Old Testament by the New Testamentby Paul Henebury

It seems to be almost an axiom within contemporary, evangelical Bible interpretation that the New Testament must be allowed to reinterpret the Old Testament. That is, the New Testament is believed to have revelatory priority over the Old Testament, so that it is considered the greatest and final revelation. And because the NT is the final revelation of Jesus Christ, the only proper way to understand the OT is with the Christ of the NT directing us. This article examines the implications of such an approach.

Recently I have been reminded of the Reformed CT community’s aversion to the label of supercessionism, or worse, replacement theology. In the last decade or so particularly I have read repeated disavowals of this term from covenant theologians. Not wanting to misrepresent or smear brethren with whom I disagree, I have to say that I struggle a bit with these protests. “We are not replacement theologians” we are told, “but rather we believe in transformation or expansion.” By some of the objectors we are told that the church does not replace Israel because it actually IS Israel; well, “true Israel” – the two designations are really one. This move is legitimate, they say, because the “true Israel” or “new Israel” is in direct continuity with Israel in the Old Testament. In this article, I want to investigate the question of whether it is right; if I am right, to brand this outlook as replacement theology and supercessionism.

We believe a little thought about what was said above about the relationship between supra and infra-lapsarianism and limited atonement will make a “four-point” dispensationalist think twice about affirming regeneration prior to faith.

In this essay I want to examine some of what is happening in the world of philosophical hermeneutics so that we can better understand the influences that are being seen in evangelical textbooks on the subject. Still more, we shall start to understand why evangelicals are jumping ship from grammatico-historical interpretation; a situation that threatens dispensationalism even more.

If you are going to try to build the Kingdom of God on the earth, there are not enough Christians in the world to accomplish this goal. Thus, you have to start cooperating with people of different faiths, like Catholics and Muslims. Such spiritual ecumenism represents the natural outworking of the church erroneously viewing itself as the kingdom of God.

The trend of equating God's present work in the church with the Messianic kingdom is a matter believers should be concerned about, since this theology not only radically alters God's design for the church but is also the seedbed of many major false doctrines that have sadly entered Christ's church.

Why does it matter whether Christ's present work through the church is equated with Christ's Messianic kingdom? The answer to this question lies in the fact that "kingdom now" theology alters the divine design for the church.

In this article we will briefly examine the fourth and fifth problems with post-tribulationism. These relate to the lack of sufficient time for the Bema Seat Judgment as well as the pointlessness of the church being caught up only to immediately return to the earth.

In the last article, we examined the second of five problems which pertains to the Hebrew wedding sequence. In this article we will briefly examine the third problem with post-tribulationism, which relates to the pointlessness of the preparation of the believers' heavenly dwellings (John 14:2-3).

Typical of "kingdom now" theologians is the idea that if Christ is not ruling now in regal fashion from David's Throne in heaven over a present, spiritual form of the Davidic Kingdom, then this means that Jesus is inactive at the present time.

In the last article, we examined the first of these five problems, which pertains to the mortal population of the millennial kingdom. In this article we will briefly examine the second problem with post-tribulationism, which relates to the Hebrew wedding sequence.

The "kingdom now" theologian is wrong in assuming that the New Testament is completely silent on the subject of the restoration of Israel's terrestrial kingdom promises. While not emphasizing this truth to the same degree as is found in the pages of the Old Testament, the New Testament still affirms this truth in several places.

Since the biblical text itself fails to positively teach or convey the notion of a present spiritual establishment of the messianic kingdom of God, it is common for "kingdom now" theologians to appeal to an argument from silence. According to this line of thought, since the New Testament fails to mention or emphasize a future earthly kingdom, then the promise of a future terrestrial rule of Christ has somehow been cancelled.

All of the non-pretribulation positions have a difficult time handling the seven arguments favoring pre-tribulationalism previously discussed in this series. We have already noted the problems associated with mid-tribulationalism. In the last few articles we began to scrutinize the arguments favoring post-tribulationalism. In this article, we will continue to scrutinize post-tribulationalism.

All of the non-pretribulation Rapture timing positions have a difficult time handling the seven arguments favoring pre-tribulationalism previously discussed in this series. We have already noted the problems associated with mid-tribulationalism. In the last few articles we began to scrutinize the arguments favoring post-tribulationalism. In this article, we will continue to scrutinize post-tribulationalism.

We began scrutinizing New Testament texts that "kingdom now" theologians employ in an attempt to argue that the kingdom is a present reality to show that none of these passages teach a present, spiritual form of the kingdom. In this installment, we will take a similar look at common "kingdom now" proof texts allegedly found in the Book of Revelation.

We began scrutinizing New Testament texts that "kingdom now" theologians employ in an attempt to argue that the kingdom is a present reality to show that none of these passages teach a present, spiritual form of the kingdom. In this installment we will conclude our examination of the Pauline epistles and begin a similar exploration of the general epistles.

We began scrutinizing New Testament texts that "kingdom now" theologians employ in an attempt to argue that the kingdom is a present reality to show that none of these passages teach a present, spiritual form of the kingdom. We continue our examination of passages within the Pauline Epistles.

Covenants provide solemn clarity about specific matters between the covenanting parties. If either party was tempted to drift they could be called back to the words of the covenant which they had entered into and reminded of their obligations.

We began scrutinizing New Testament texts that "kingdom now" theologians employ in an attempt to argue that the kingdom is a present reality to show that none of these passages teach a present, spiritual form of the kingdom. We have examined the typical texts from both the Gospels and Acts used by "kingdom now" theologians. We now briefly turn our attention to the Pauline Epistles.

Beyond the argument from early Acts that Jesus is now reigning on David's Throne from heaven, "kingdom now" theologians also rely upon the handful of references to the "kingdom" scattered throughout Acts indicating that the apostles "preached the things concerning the kingdom of God."

Recognized prophetic scholars have long observed that of the 59 New Testament references to David and of the multiple New Testament references to Christ's present session, no New Testament reference equates the Davidic Throne with Christ's present session. Thus, dispensationalists have long recognized a distinction between Christ’s present session and His future Davidic reign.

Perhaps the primary reason advanced by "kingdom now" theologians in their attempt to equate God's present work in the church with the present, spiritual manifestation of the Messianic kingdom is that following His Ascension Christ supposedly took His seat on David's Throne in heaven.

In this article, we observe that post-tribulationism errs in failing to understand that the divine promise of Revelation 3:10 conveys a complete escape not only from coming Tribulation judgments but also the very time of those judgments.

Biblical Covenantalism tracks the covenants through Scripture for the sake of putting together a composite picture of God’s plan. The covenants are the backbone of Scripture. If we pay careful attention to these covenants as they arise, we will not be able to bypass the everlasting “covenant of peace” which God made with Phinehas and his descendants in Numbers 25.

Some Mud That Sticks: An Insider’s Criticism of Dispensationalismby Paul Henebury

It is our opinion that dispensationalism can be (and ought to be) wedded to a full-orbed systematic world and life view, but only if it begins to take itself more seriously and starts the painful process of self-examination. In order to do this it must divest itself of the pragmatic outlook that it often clings to, and which spoils its thinking and stunts its theological development.

This article continues an examination of the weaknesses associated with Rapture views which differ from the pretribulational Rapture position. Post-tribulationism errs in failing to acknowledge that although believers will be exempted from some of the judgments during the Tribulation period, they will still experience many other judgments during this same time period.

Perhaps the primary reason advanced by kingdom now theologians in their attempt to equate God's present work in the church with the present, spiritual manifestation of the Messianic kingdom is that following His Ascension Christ supposedly took His seat on David's Throne in heaven. From this regal position He now orchestrates the spiritual Messianic kingdom through the church. However, it is far better to reject the notion that the Davidic Kingdom is present in any sense today and instead to maintain that the Davidic Kingdom will not be inaugurated until the millennial age. At least six reasons exist in support of this conclusion.

It appears to me that one of the first things a faithful theologian needs to do is to straighten out the confusion brought about by the world’s separation of faith and reason. This relationship is so vital to a biblically fastened worldview that to neglect it will involve the believer in a host of conflicting beliefs and practices. For it is just here that the negligent Christian theologue will be attacked

The Dispensational and Kingdom Implications of the "Lord’s Prayer" in Matthew 6:9-13by Andy Woods

In light of the so called "Lord's Prayer" in Matthew 6:9-13, the whole notion that Christ already established the kingdom in spiritual form at His First Advent becomes unlikely, if not impossible. This paper was presented at the 2014 Chafer Theological Seminary Pastors' Conference, March 12, 2014.

The assertion of presuppositional apologetics is not that unbelievers do not know things. It is that they are unable to account for what they know using their unbelieving outlooks. And if they cannot account for the their arguments from within their own outlook, they should give it up and find one that does account for it. And Christian presuppositionalists claim that the only outlook or worldview which accounts for facts, values, logic, justice, beauty, etc. is the Christian worldview of the Bible.

The seventh and final reason that the rapture will take place before the Tribulation period begins relates to the fact that the symbolic parallels of the days of Noah and Lot mandate that God's people must first be taken out of harm's way before the pouring out of divine judgment.

The sixth reason that the rapture will take place before the Tribulation period begins is due to the fact that the Antichrist cannot even come forward until the Holy Spirit's restraining ministry through the church is first removed.

Too often, opportunities for pastoral service and growth are limited by the perception that leadership roles within the church must be fully financed positions: either because it is unfair to expect leadership involvement without such remuneration or because serving as a pastor is deemed to be so consuming as to make simultaneously “working with ones hands” impractical.

A troubling situation many pastors find themselves in today is that of occupying a place of apparent leadership, but lacking true authority. The office of pastor, which scripture establishes as the source of leadership and authority within a local fellowship, can be hindered and even subverted by church practices which have more in common with cultural expectations than the teaching of the New Testament.

This article was published in the Journal of Dispensational Theology, Summer/Fall 2014.

It appears that if we are going to preserve a concept of progressive revelation which does justice to the normal meaning of both words, we will have to accept a definition which incorporates the idea of traceability from A to Z and back again. This will require of us that we do not employ the term if we believe the revelation has been “subject to change” (Horton) in the OT, or once we have passed from the OT into the New. If we think any “transformation” (Beale) has taken place, we are better off adopting a different term so as to avoid confusing people.

Some believe Christ inaugurated the kingdom in spiritual form during His First Advent. One way of showing the implausibility of such a proposition is by exploring the true meaning of the so-called "Lord's Prayer" found in Matthew 6:9-13.

The fourth reason that the rapture will take place before the Tribulation period even begins relates to the fact the rapture is an imminent event. In other words, the rapture could happen at any moment.

The third reason that the rapture will take place before the Tribulation period even begins relates to the fact the church has been promised to be exempted from divine wrath and yet, the Tribulation period is an expression of divine wrath.

If Matthew 6:9-13 is in actuality a model prayer for the disciples consisting of three requests for the kingdom to come and three additional requests for their temporal needs to be met prior to the kingdom's establishment, then it becomes obvious that the Lord did not establish the kingdom at His First Advent. Otherwise, the "Disciples' Prayer" becomes nonsensical. After all, why pray for the coming of the kingdom and make additional requests until its establishment if the kingdom were already a present reality?

Before the events of the Tribulation period unfold upon the earth (Rev. 6-19), the Apocalypse depicts the twenty-four elders, representing the church, as already being in heaven before the earthly tribulation judgments even begin (Rev. 4-5). A logical and natural explanation for this location is that the church has already been raptured to heaven before the Tribulation period begins.

My concern in this article is to address this phenomenon of prophetic makeover. How can God express Himself in the most forceful language of commitment to Israel and not mean what He is saying (Jer. 31-33)? How can God make a solemn oath to accomplish stipulations which He and no one else has placed upon Himself and proceed to "expand" these stipulations beyond all recognition (Gen. 15)? And what, if anything, gives Christians the right to re-interpret the language of God’s unilateral promises to the Patriarchs? Where is the “wiggle room” in the covenant obligations which Jehovah placed Himself under?

The history of the interpretation of the Bible is a long and involved one. For many centuries people have approached the Scriptures supposing that it should be interpreted literally whenever possible, or that one ought to look deeper than the surface meaning to find its true spiritual center. Still others have believed that the Old and (to a lesser extent) the New Testament is opened up by means of three or four hermeneutical categories. In this paper we shall try to review the main schools of interpretation, especially throughout the history of the Church.

Considering that a careful Genesis to Revelation survey very clearly indicates that the kingdom is a future and postponed reality, why do so many evangelicals believe that the Messianic kingdom has already materialized or is within the power of the modern church to set up? Is there a biblical basis for such a "kingdom-now" belief?

The second reason that the rapture will take place before the Tribulation period even begins relates to the absence of any reference to the church on earth in Revelation 4-19. This point becomes clearer upon considering the broad structure of the Book of Revelation.

The same handful of New Testament texts are routinely and consistently employed in an attempt to argue for "kingdom now" theology. The purpose of subsequent articles is to scrutinize those passages that "kingdom now" theologians routinely use and to demonstrate that these texts really do not prove "kingdom now" theology. This article will set forth some general problems with a New Testament based kingdom now interpretation.

Proponents of the New Perspective on Paul allow their relative comprehension of facets of Second Temple Judaism (roughly 500 B.C. to 70 A.D.) to cloud their reading of the New Testament, and especially of the Apostle Paul. Read as sufficient in itself, the New Testament sets out a clear picture of Jewish antagonism to the Gospel; not because of narrow covenantal boundary-markers, but because “seeking to establish their own righteousness, [they] have not submitted to the righteousness of God” – Romans 10:3.

Regarding "when" the rapture will occur, believers can develop certainty that they will be raptured before the tribulation period for at least seven reasons. The first reason is that the tribulation's ultimate purpose concerns Israel rather than the church.

Revelation 20:1-10 is the only passage that specifies the kingdom's duration of one-thousand years. Here, John makes six references to the kingdom's one-thousand year length. Many commentators attach little significance to the expression “thousand years” on the grounds that this number should be interpreted non-literally. Their thinking is that since Revelation is a symbolic book, the number "one thousand" should also be rendered non-literally.

It is common to hear anti-rapturists attack the doctrine of the rapture on the grounds that such an idea is not found in church history until very late. They argue that the doctrine did not exist in church history until the writings of John Nelson Darby in the 1800's. However the rapture is a traditional doctrine now being recovered.

In part 1 of this article the author defined the terms, considered a few Bible passages, and explained Limited Atonement. This article examines some passages that defend Unlimited Atonement. (See part 1.)

This article was originally published in the Conservative Theological Journal, Volume 9 Number 27 (Fort Worth, TX: Tyndale Theological Seminary, 2005) 241:257.

Intimately entwined within the question as to the extent of Christ’s death on the Cross is the discussion concerning what this event actually achieved. In other words, what was its purpose? The author proves, by means of logic and a proper exegesis of the relevant passages, that Jesus died for every individual, yet that does not inevitably lead to the conclusion that all will be saved. (Continued in part 2 of the article.)

This article was originally published in the Conservative Theological Journal, Volume 9 Number 26 (Fort Worth, TX: Tyndale Theological Seminary, 2005), 87:108.

Neither the kingdom mysteries nor the church represent the fulfillment of God's Old Testament kingdom promises. Rather, they epitomize fresh works of God independent of the Old Testament kingdom expectation. Thus, the kingdom will remain in a state of abeyance as long as God's present work in the world continues through His interim program.

Top Twenty Reasons for Not Reinterpreting the Old Testament by the Newby Paul Henebury

It seems to be almost an axiom within contemporary evangelical Bible interpretation that the New Testament must be allowed to reinterpret the Old Testament. This belief in the interpretative priory of the NT over the OT is accepted as “received truth” by a great many evangelical scholars and students today. But there are corollaries which are often left unexplored or ill-considered.

While there are a plethora of signs that first must transpire before Christ can return at the end of the seven-year tribulation period, there are no signs that must occur before the rapture of the church can take place.

Robert Bork was a man of uncommon excellence who was persecuted due to his common sense approach to Constitutional Law. Had his ideas had a greater influence over the minds of our judges, they likely could have spared us from the fiscal cliff and crisis that we are on the precipice of hurling over. Now Bork speaks to us from the grave through his many writings.

Because of the recent shooting in Connecticut, we are engulfed in a national conversation concerning what caused the shooter to do what he did. The shooter's destructive behavior has been blamed on everything from a lack of access to affordable health care, to listening to too much political commentary, to the easy accessibility of firearms. Sadly, many use a tragic event of this nature to advocate a political agenda that calls for greater control of government over our lives. Yet, in the midst of all of this pontification, few have adequately articulated the root cause of the problem.

Scripture refers to the rapture as a mystery (1Cor. 15:51). When people read the word "mystery" in the New Testament they have a tendency of importing an English understanding of the word back into the text. Such an anachronistic reading is unfortunate since the word "mystery" means something quite different in English than it does in Greek, which was the original language of the New Testament.

"There Arose Another Generation After Them Who Did Not Know the Lord": A Post Election Analysisby Andy Woods

What is different about the moral and spiritual climate in America today in 2012 in comparison to the mindset that prevailed and existed back in 1979? As I have been contemplating this question, the biblical verse that continues to come to my mind is Judges 2:10, which says, "All that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel."

The church consists of all people, including both the Jewish remnant as well as Gentiles, who have trusted in the very Messiah Israel rejected. Unlike Israel, which was a national identity, the church is a spiritual organism consisting of all nations and ethnicities (Gal. 3:28; Rom. 10:19; Eph. 2:14). The church age began on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2 and will conclude with the future rapture of the church from the earth. Rather than replacing Israel, the church represents an entirely new divine work that interrupts God's past dealings and future dealings with national Israel.

Much of what Jesus says in the Gospels is anchored by revelation previously given in the Old Testament. Where Jesus is teaching concepts which find their origin in the Old Testament, He expects His listeners to be familiar with the basis of His teachings. An understanding of the historic setting of Daniel helps us interpret Jesus' puzzling reference to "the Times of the Gentiles" (Luke 21:22-24).

How An Evangelical Christian Can Support a Mormon for Presidentby Andy Woods

A president is not in power to promote theology. That is what pastors and theologians are for. Rather, a president is elected to politically and economically govern our country. Therefore, I pick a president not based on his personal theology but rather upon his philosophy of government.

The battle over the inerrancy of Scripture hasn't and isn't going away. We must decide how we will approach the Bible - what our working assumptions will be. If "all Scripture is Godbreathed" then all Scripture has the insignia of God upon it. This would be the bare-bones theological deduction from the relationship between the two. For the human element to be lifted above the Divine element so as to enjoy equal ultimacy over the resultant production of Scripture requires an alteration to Scripture's own self-witness.

A mistake typically made even by dispensational, premillennial interpreters is to contend that the Matthew 13 parables reveal a present spiritual form of the kingdom known as the "mystery form of the kingdom." While not contending that the Davidic kingdom is present, they instead believe that the kingdom is spiritually present in mystery form only. However, even this is to read too much into the text of Matthew 13 than is actually there.

The kingdom mysteries (Matt. 13:1-52) represent the course of events to be experienced by the kingdom's heirs or the "sons of the kingdom" (Matt. 13:38) between Israel's rejection and future acceptance of the kingdom offer. These mysteries cover the time period between Israel's formal rejection of the kingdom and the Second Advent (Matt. 13:40-42, 49-50). The kingdom mysteries represent new truths concerning the kingdom that were undisclosed in the Old Testament.

The entire Gentile world could become Christian. Yet, if tiny Israel remains in unbelief, the kingdom cannot materialize. Conversely, the entire Gentile world could reject Christ. Yet, if Israel fulfills the condition stated in Matthew 23:37-39 by accepting Jesus as the Messiah, the kingdom will materialize upon the earth.

When Israel of its own free will rejected the kingdom offer, that decision was used by an all-powerful God to usher in the next major phase of His pre-ordained plan. This plan entailed Christ paying the sin debt of the world by dying on the cross and God's present work in the interim age.

The rapture will be a resurrection. A resurrection is the opposite of death. Death involves separation. When people die the immaterial part of them that is designed to live forever called the soul separates from the body or material aspect. By contrast, a resurrection involves a reunion. When a person is resurrected their soul-spirit or immaterial aspect is placed in a glorified or resurrected body.

Throughout the dark years of national disobedience, Gentile dominion, and kingdom postponement, the Old Testament prophets held out hope for the nation and the world by faithfully speaking of a coming generation of Jews who would return to Yahweh thereby ushering in kingdom blessings.

The contemporary evangelical world is engulfed in the idea that the church is presently experiencing the messianic kingdom. The idea of the "kingdom" can be bewildering, especially considering how this term is loosely bandied about by today's evangelicals.

Not only is the rapture an important doctrine, an event that is distinct from the Second Advent of Christ, and an event that will involve the catching up of every believer to meet the Lord in the air, but the rapture will also be a reunion between living and deceased believers.

The "Rules of Affinity" test the "distance" between a given theological proposal and the actual textual references alleged to lend them authority. The two categories in the Grid which reveal little or no affinity between the words of Scripture and the doctrines supposed to be borne out of it are C4's or C5's. These categories are heavy on inference and light on affinity. They are chock full of human reason and empty of clear, definable connection to the verses which are being unfairly summoned to support them.

"The Rules of Affinity" are a relatively straightforward device whereby a theological proposition (e.g. that a sinner is justified by faith) is compared with the texts of scripture by which it is supported to disclose how closely those passages agree with the proposition in question.

Much controversy persists within evangelicalism regarding the use and existence of the gifts of tongues, knowledge, and prophecy among believers. Charismatics maintain that all of the gifts of the Holy Spirit remain in operation today. These gifts, in their view, include not only those that are edificatory in nature, such as teaching and preaching, but also revelatory or confirmatory ones, such as tongues, interpretation of tongues, healing, word of wisdom, word of knowledge, prophecy, and miracles. On the other hand, cessationists contend that the sign and revelatory gifts have not functioned in the church since the close of the apostolic age, and thus only the edificatory gifts remain. A key battleground text in this ongoing debate is 1 Corinthians 13:8-10, which teaches that certain gifts will cease when that which is perfect has come. The obvious question is, what does Paul mean?

When someone challenges the validity of the rapture on the grounds that the word itself is not found in the New Testament, an appropriate response would be to refer to the Latin copy of the Bible where the word rapture can be readily and easily observed.

Church and state should be separate in the sense that both institutions are different and fulfill unique roles. The church should not take on governmental tasks such as taxing citizens and prosecuting criminals any more than the state should take on the responsibility of fulfilling the Great Commission. However, this is not the way the modern day separation between church and state doctrine is applied. Today, this doctrine means that the Christian worldview can have no influence over how the state should function. This doctrine has been misapplied so as to eliminate virtually all forms of Christian expression in public and governmental life.

Without a doubt, the issue of hermeneutics is one of the hottest issues in theology today. The word comes from the Greek hermeneia which basically means "interpretation." How do we interpret the Bible, and, in particular, those relatively few, yet significant parts of it which cause puzzlement or debate?

Contrasting passages concerning Christ's Second Coming indicate the rapture will be an event which is distinct from the Second Advent. In other words, the Second Coming of Christ is divided into two phases.

The Paradigm of Kadesh Barnea as a Solution to the Problem of Hebrews 6:4-6by Andy Woods

The warning found in Hebrews 6:4-6 has provoked disagreement among Bible interpreters and exegetes. Gromacki observes that this passage is "probably the most controversial passage within Hebrews." Most Calvinist and Reformed interpreters insist that the warning passage is too strong to apply to believers, so unbelievers must be in view in these verses. Arminians contend that the passage is speaking of genuine believers who are at risk of losing their salvation. Others argue that these verses are speaking of genuine believers and the severe warning is a mere hypothetical scenario. Still others contend that these verses speak of believers who are in jeopardy of losing blessings. Who is right? How are interpreters to make sense of this difficult passage?

This article was originally published in the Chafer Theological Journal Journal 12 (Spring 2006) and subsequently revised for the 2016 Chafer Bible Conference.

I remain astonished at the number of emails I receive from individuals who do not believe that the rapture is a biblical doctrine. Such people seem to have the idea that the whole rapture concept is manufactured by popular, sensationalistic prophecy teachers in their attempt to sell books and make money. Thus, they contend that this rapture doctrine has no biblical justification whatsoever. In order to demonstrate the rapture is truly a biblical doctrine, I am commencing a series of articles on the "Doctrine of the Rapture of the Church."

One of the rules of basic Bible interpretation is to recognize that the church and Israel represent separate programs of God. They are two trains running on separate railroad tracks. An understanding of the differences between each program should caution us against taking prophecies and promises that are specifically aimed at Israel and misapplying them to the present dispensation of the Church Age.

Did Jesus ever refer to the rapture? When this question is asked, two passages usually come to mind: Matt 24:40-41 and John 14:1-4. The purpose of this paper is to show that although Christ did not refer to the rapture in Matt 24:40-41, He did refer to the rapture in John 14:1-4. This paper was presented at the 2011 meeting of the Pre-Trib Study Group.

Luke 23:39-43 records the famous death-bed conversion of the "thief on the cross." There were seven truths that the repentant thief understood. Studying these truths is important since they are the same realities that all must embrace in order to gain peace with their Creator.

I believe that God means what He says! I trust such a God. I believe what He graciously promises me in the Gospel. But I don't see how I can trust a god who misled thousands of pious Jews (and Christians) into believing the plain-sense of his words and then 'fulfilled' them entirely differently. If he can do that to others, he can do it to me.

Suppose someone made you a promise concerning something of great importance to you. This person then went a step further and, to show his intent to make good his promise, entered in to some solemn ritual involving a self-maledictory oath. You could surely trust the promise right?

The language of 'expansion' found often on the lips of supercessionists -- those who will insist that the OT prophets mean something OTHER than what their actual words convey -- is, I believe, calculated to be ambiguous.

I am considering this matter if plain speaking in theological discourse, and have noted my dislike of those who say something in a way so that it is easy to mistake their intentions. We are used to being given the run-around by the Cults -- for they deal in duplicity -- but evangelical brothers and sisters can do this sort of thing too.

It is an odd phenomenon that in our world someone can claim all sorts of things which sound quite plausible, but which, as a matter of fact, only preserve their appearance of plausibility by passing over very blunt facts which would soon have them plugging the leeks in their outlook, were it not for the fact that they can imagine these rude truths away.

What the full purposes of the Temple will be cannot be stated with exactitude, but there is no contradiction in Christ offering a once-for-all sacrifice for sins and the reinstitution of Millennial Sacrifices.

Although the Scripture clearly predicts the reality of the coming third temple in the Tribulation period, much debate persists concerning how this temple will actually be rebuilt. This article will briefly explore some of these issues.

A Case for the Futurist Interpretation of the Book of Revelationby Andy Woods

While previous generations of dispensational interpreters may have enjoyed the luxury of the widespread assumption that the Book of Revelation primarily concerns future events, such a "golden age" has now come to an end. Today, many scholarly and popular commentators alike are aggressively challenging the futurist interpretation of Revelation.

In these posts I have tried to demonstrate how the kind of hermeneutical processes involved in bringing an individual to espouse dispensational premillennial eschatology will cause him (or her) NOT to espouse 5-Point Calvinism, or its companion, regeneration prior to faith. I have done this by using a grid or filter for checking doctrines based on comparing theological propositions with the Bible. I believe that I have shown that TULIP cannot pass muster in this regard.

Christians must not abandon their Bibles at the crucial moment when their Faith is assailed. Instead, they are to assert confidently and intelligently the Biblical perspective about God, about man, and about the fallen world in which we live. What is called "Presuppositional" Apologetics attempts to do just that.

It thrills my heart to imagine what this generation of homeschooled children may discover, invent, create, or design because they have been taught from childhood to believe in the truth of God's Word in every detail!

As we home school our children we are to teach and show our children that God's reputation can be upheld and honored in each subject area; that God carries weight in academics; that He is both important and significant in history, in mathematics, in science; and that because He is sovereign, He influences all of knowledge. Do you see God in each area of your curriculum? You will need to see Him for yourself so that you can point Him out to your children!

Conventional schools do not consider anything related to faith to be part of their job. The training of character is occasionally taught, but it is never built on the foundation of faith. It is great to teach our children to be truthful or patient or not to bully others. But without faith undergirding those qualities, the character is being built upon a foundation of sand.

When we turned to the Bible to see what principles God gave about educating our children, we found that God gave instructions to parents (1) to teach their children about Him, (2) to teach what is godly and right, and (3) not to teach what is ungodly or evil.

Dispensationalism and TULIP - The Perseverance of the Saintsby Paul Henebury

What I am concerned with in these posts is the question of whether or not the kind of interpretative approach which persuades a person to be a dispensationalist works just as well in persuading them of the Five Points of Calvinism.

Romans 1:16-17 represents critical seed truths about the Gospel message, which Paul will water and develop further throughout his masterful treatment on Soteriology (doctrine of Salvation) called the Book of Romans.

What I am concerned with in these posts is the question of whether or not the kind of interpretative approach which persuades a person to be a dispensationalist works just as well in persuading them of the Five Points of Calvinism.

What I am concerned with in these posts is the question of whether or not the kind of interpretative approach which persuades a person to be a dispensationalist works just as well in persuading them of the Five Points of Calvinism.

The Scripture speaks of the work of the Holy Spirit among the unsaved. It is important that we understand what the Spirit seeks to accomplish in the lives of unbelievers so that we can cooperate with His agenda and thus be used by Him in the lives of non-Christians.

What I am concerned with in these posts is the question of whether or not the kind of interpretative approach which persuades a person to be a dispensationalist works just as well in persuading them of the Five Points of Calvinism.

What I am concerned with in these posts is the question of whether or not the kind of interpretative approach which persuades a person to be a dispensationalist works just as well in persuading them of the Five Points of Calvinism.

If our children were to get nothing else from us as parents, we would be eternally grateful if each of our precious children came, in God's perfect timing, to a strong faith in Jesus Christ as his or her own personal Savior and Lord.

Home educating means there are numerous academic subjects to study with our children. But there is no more valuable subject for the Christian home educator than teaching that causes our children to grow in faith, teaching that will bring them up in the nurture (training) and admonition (instruction) of the Lord.

The next time we hear the word "salvation," let us embrace the full dimensions and ramifications of this term, and consequently glorify God for all that He has done for us, is doing for us, and will do for us.

While the unbeliever may look at world events as if they are out of control, the Scripture reminds us that our sovereign God is in control of history, which He is fitting into a distinct pattern that He revealed long ago. All of this is also a reminder that as the stage is being set for the coming Tribulation period, Christ's coming for the church through the rapture is even nearer.

Given the current drift of our culture away from biblical truth, what surprises me is not the occurrence of violent episodes, like the one that recently occurred in Tucson; but what surprises me is that these tragic events do not happen with greater frequency. The only lasting solution to man's wicked heart is an internal transformation that only God can provide, and this is the root cause of man's problem.

A Futurist Response to the Preterist Interpretation of Babylon in Revelation 17:18by Andy Woods

Because the exegetical, contextual, and geographic details do not support the interpretation that Babylon of Rev 17:18 is first-century Jerusalem, interpreters are obligated to consider other options in their attempt to identify the harlot. This paper was presented at the 2010 meeting of the Pre-Trib Study Group.

The Divine Logos who created and structured the world and created us to interpret the world through Him via the Scriptures, has given faith as the mechanism by which the two are brought together. Thus, faith is not opposed to reason; but in fact it is served by reason.

When it comes down to it, every outlook on the world has to assume certain things; it has to have some idea of what is ultimately real. Whatever that ultimate reality is thought to be (e.g. Chance, Illusion, God) plays the role of the divine. This, then in large measure organizes the world around itself, either allowing in or shutting out data according to how that data is found to fit the outlook.

Paul Henebury discusses the world view evident within the wisdom books of the Bible and shows that a proper perspective on the world must include several facets not associated with the thinking of the person without God, beginning with the fear of God Himself.

This series of articles contends that it is impossible to understand God's plan for the end times without understanding what Scripture reveals about the last days apostasy of the church. See Part 4 and Part 6.

This article was originally published in Volume VIII Number 75 (April 2010) of the Pre-Trib Perspectives.

This series of articles contends that it is impossible to understand God's plan for the end times without understanding what Scripture reveals about the last days apostasy of the church. See Part 3 and Part 5.

This article was originally published in Volume VIII Number 74 (March 2010) of the Pre-Trib Perspectives.

This series of articles contends that it is impossible to understand God's plan for the end times without understanding what Scripture reveals about the last days apostasy of the church. See Part 2 and Part 4.

This article was originally published in Volume VIII Number 73 (February 2010) of the Pre-Trib Perspectives.

For dispensational theology to get underway properly there needs to be a methodology which comports with the progress of revelation as recorded in the outworking of the covenants of God in history. Exegesis of the underlying text, unbiased by any external system of thought is critical in this process.

This series of articles contends that it is impossible to understand God's plan for the end times without understanding what Scripture reveals about the last days apostasy of the church. See Part 1 and Part 3.

This article was originally published in Volume VIII Number 72 (January/February 2010) of the Pre-Trib Perspectives.

The first part of this study examined the doctrine of the Trinity from a theological perspective. It discussed many of the concepts which form the basis for a proper biblical definition of the Trinity, as well as some principles of interpretation for using the exegesis of a specific passage to construct a doctrine of systematic theology. With the preceding concepts in mind, the purpose of this study will be to analyze a key passage of Scripture to discover its contribution to the doctrine of the Trinity. This passage states: "When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning." (John 15:26-27, NASB) See Part 1.

This article was published in The Journal of Dispensational Theology, Vol. 12 No. 36, August 2008. This article appears by permission of The Journal of Dispensational Theology which is published by the Society of Dispensational Theology.

The goal of this study is to present an introduction to the doctrine of the Trinity as well as an exegesis of a specific passage that provides key facts which must be considered in any systematic treatment of the Trinity. The first part of this discussion will include the definition and importance of the doctrine, the early historical development of the doctrine, and important theological concepts relating to this doctrine. Part two will undertake an exegetical analysis of a key Scripture passage on the Trinity (John 15:26-27) in order to understand its contribution to this important doctrine.

This article was published in The Journal of Dispensational Theology, Vol. 12 No. 35, March 2008. This article appears by permission of The Journal of Dispensational Theology which is published by the Society of Dispensational Theology.

It is no accident that the three most attacked books of the Bible are also the most significant (Genesis, Daniel, and Revelation). It is commonly known that if the foundation is faulty, the building will soon fall. This article will seek to refute the view that the Book of Daniel was written in the second century BC (as many liberals claim) and thus could not have been written by Daniel (ca. 622 -- ca. 536).

This article was published in The Journal of Dispensational Theology, Vol. 11 No. 34, December 2007. This article appears by permission of The Journal of Dispensational Theology which is published by the Society of Dispensational Theology.

The common view of 2 Thessalonians 3:6-12 is that the unruly believers had forsaken their normal livelihood in order to wait for the Rapture of the Church. This view, however, opens the doctrine of Premillennialism to undue criticism.

This article was published in The Journal of Dispensational Theology, Vol. 10 No. 30, September 2006. This article appears by permission of The Journal of Dispensational Theology which is published by the Society of Dispensational Theology.

The first in a four-part article examining the famous prophecy of Daniel's 70 Weeks. Have all 70 weeks been fulfilled in the past? Is there a gap between the 69th. and 70th week? What starts the 70 weeks and when do they end? Dr. Ray guides us on a detailed exegesis of this important passage. See Part 2.

This article was published in The Conservative Theological Journal, Vol. 5 No. 15, August 2001. This article appears by permission of The Conservative Theological Journal which is published by the Conservative Theological Society.

The second in a four-part article examining the famous prophecy of Daniel's 70 Weeks. Have all 70 weeks been fulfilled in the past? Is there a gap between the 69th. and 70th week? What starts the 70 weeks and when do they end? Dr. Ray guides us on a detailed exegesis of this important passage. See Part 3.

This article was published in The Conservative Theological Journal, Vol. 5 No. 16, December 2001. This article appears by permission of The Conservative Theological Journal which is published by the Conservative Theological Society.

The third in a four-part article examining the famous prophecy of Daniel's 70 Weeks. Have all 70 weeks been fulfilled in the past? Is there a gap between the 69th. and 70th week? What starts the 70 weeks and when do they end? Dr. Ray guides us on a detailed exegesis of this important passage. See Part 4.

This article was published in The Conservative Theological Journal, Vol. 6 No. 17, March 2002. This article appears by permission of The Conservative Theological Journal which is published by the Conservative Theological Society.

The final installment in a four-part article examining the famous prophecy of Daniel's 70 Weeks. Have all 70 weeks been fulfilled in the past? Is there a gap between the 69th. and 70th week? What starts the 70 weeks and when do they end? Dr. Ray guides us on a detailed exegesis of this important passage.

This article was published in The Conservative Theological Journal, Vol. 6 No. 18, August 2002. This article appears by permission of The Conservative Theological Journal which is published by the Conservative Theological Society.

There is much confusion in the Church today over the nature of saving faith. Many contradictory theories have been proposed over the years, ranging from the Arminian view of absolute human free will to the extreme Calvinistic view of the complete inability of man which requires that faith itself be a gift of God. Many theories regarding the nature of saving faith are based on logical inferences that have been reached in an attempt to create coherent systems of theology, rather than being based on clear statements in Scripture. The present study will examine the evidence regarding the capabilities of fallen man, the pre-faith work of the Godhead within the unsaved, and the ultimate nature of saving faith as it relates to the process of salvation.

This article was published in The Conservative Theological Journal, Vol. 9 No. 27, August 2005. This article appears by permission of The Conservative Theological Journal which is published by the Conservative Theological Society.

Biblical genocide has proven to be a stumbling block preventing people from trusting Christ as savior. Many rationalize that the God of the Bible is no more humane than the God of Islam on account of the fact that divinely sanctioned genocide is found in the major holy books of both religions. Thus, an explanation of biblical genocide has become a key Christian apologetic issue of our day. To this end, this paper will attempt to offer a balanced perspective on the subject of divinely sanctioned genocide of the Canaanites.

Despite the fact that genre can be a helpful device in interpreting Scripture, today's evangelicals have pushed the concept too far. Today, genre is often used as an excuse for suspending the ordinary rules of hermeneutics.

What makes someone a dispensationalist? While many view Dispensationalism as a mere theological system, this assessment is inaccurate. In actuality, Dispensationalism has more to do with commitment to a particular hermeneutic then it does to adherence to a theological model. The Dispensational theological system arises out of a hermeneutic rather than from a theology imposed upon Scripture. The purpose of this paper is to describe this hermeneutic and explain how Dispensationalism is its natural by-product.

The Doctrine of the Remnant and the Salvation of Israel in Romans 9-11by Steve Lewis

This article presents a contextual and grammatical analysis of Romans 9-11 in order to provide a consistent interpretation of the different aspects of God's plan for the salvation of Israel. Special attention is focused on Romans 11:25-26 regarding the eventual salvation of Israel on a national scale.

This article was published in The Conservative Theological Journal, Vol. 9 No. 26, March 2005. This article appears by permission of The Conservative Theological Journal which is published by the Conservative Theological Society.

This final article in a three-part series on the subject of systematic theology (published in the Conservative Theological Journal) gets to the most fundamental issue by answering the question, "Do we really need theology at all?" Although previous generations of believers would have never entertained such a question, this query is crying out for an answer today on account of the fact that more and more Christian leaders are beginning to view theology as something that is somewhat irrelevant to the health and life of the church.

This article was published in The Conservative Theological Journal, Vol. 8 No. 25, December 2004. This article appears by permission of The Conservative Theological Journal which is published by the Conservative Theological Society.

Enthroning the Interpreter: Dangerous Trends in Law and Theology - Part 4by Andy Woods

The first two articles in this four-part series showed that proper legal and biblical interpretation involves pursuing authorial intent through the mechanism of a literal hermeneutic. The underlying philosophy behind such an approach is to dethrone the interpreter's personal ideological or theological preferences and instead to enthrone what is objectively revealed in the text. In other words, the goal of applying a literal hermeneutic is to transfer the authority in the interpretive process away from the dynamic and subjective imagination of the interpreter and instead toward the objective standard of the unchanging text. Part three of this series traced an erosion of this time-honored principle in the area of constitutional interpretation. Because modern judicial philosophy determines the Constitution's meaning based upon what the judge says it means rather than based upon what the document actually says, the true authority in the interpretive process has transferred from the text to the interpreter.

This series of four articles was published in three installments in The Conservative Theological Journal, Vol. 8 No. 23, 24, and 25 (March, August, and December) of 2004. This article appears by permission of The Conservative Theological Journal which is published by the Conservative Theological Society.

Enthroning the Interpreter: Dangerous Trends in Law and Theology - Part 3by Andy Woods

Part 2 in this series of articles demonstrated that use of a literal hermeneutic in order to ascertain authorial intent is foundational to proper legal and biblical interpretation. The next two articles will expose a drift away from these bedrock principles in both fields. Over the course of the previous century and a half, American jurisprudence has experienced a progressive movement away from seeking authorial intent through what the author has plainly stated. Although this trend is not necessarily discernible in all facets of legal interpretation, it is particularly noticeable in the field of constitutional interpretation. While Justice Story's previously mentioned classical approach to constitutional interpretation called for seeking the meaning of the Constitution based upon the plain language of its drafters, modern constitutional interpretation places the ability to determine the Constitution's meaning almost exclusively within the subjective discretion of the interpreter. Thus, the end result is that the field of constitutional interpretation has undergone a radical shift in authority from the objective constitutional text to the subjectivity of the interpreter's mind. See Part 4.

This series of four articles was published in three installments in The Conservative Theological Journal, Vol. 8 No. 23, 24, and 25 (March, August, and December) of 2004. This article appears by permission of The Conservative Theological Journal which is published by the Conservative Theological Society.

Enthroning the Interpreter: Dangerous Trends in Law and Theology - Part 2by Andy Woods

Part 1 in this series of articles demonstrated that the utilization of a literal hermeneutic in order to ascertain authorial intent is a key component of American jurisprudence. This article (part 2) will establish that the employment of this same method of interpretation is also the cornerstone of proper biblical interpretation. It stands to reason that if jurists employ literalism in order to discover the author's meaning in contracts, testamentary documents, statutes, or constitutions, interpreters of Scripture should do no less when seeking to discover what God Himself has declared. Thus, one notices distinct similarities when comparing traditional maxims of legal interpretation with basic maxims of biblical interpretation. Specifically, this article will show that both biblical and legal interpretation use the identical interpretive approach and underlying philosophy. See Part 2.

This series of four articles was published in three installments in The Conservative Theological Journal, Vol. 8 No. 23, 24, and 25 (March, August, and December) of 2004. This article appears by permission of The Conservative Theological Journal which is published by the Conservative Theological Society.

Enthroning the Interpreter: Dangerous Trends in Law and Theology - Part 1by Andy Woods

The disciplines of law and theology have much in common. Perhaps the most significant similarity between the two entails the relentless quest for authorial intent through the vehicle of a literal method of interpretation. In other words, a literal hermeneutical procedure is the key toward understanding the author's intended meaning when interpreting either legal documents or Scripture. This series of articles will demonstrate that the use of a literal method of interpretation in order to pursue the author's meaning is a time-honored practice in both fields. In addition, these articles will also draw attention to disturbing interpretive trends well under way in both disciplines that have introduced a gradual shift in authority from the text to the interpreter. This article (part one) will focus on how literal interpretation is a foundational interpretive method within the American legal system. See Part 2.

This article was published in The Conservative Theological Journal, Vol. 8 No. 23, March 2004. This article appears by permission of The Conservative Theological Journal which is published by the Conservative Theological Society.

The Contribution Ancient Near East Background Material Makes To Understanding And Interpreting Isaiah 14:12-15by Andy Woods

Many modern interpreters reject the idea that Isaiah 14:12-15 represents the fall of Satan on the grounds that Isaiah is drawing from a pagan myth. However, a careful comparison of Isaiah 14:12-15 with alleged mythological sources indicates that any similarities between the two are outweighed by vast differences.

John wrote that "every eye will see Him" and that "all the tribes of the earth will mourn" when He appears. Did Jesus "appear" to the Jewish tribes at the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 as preterism maintains? Or are there reasons for understanding this passage to teach a future event of world-wide impact?

This article was subsequently published in The Conservative Theological Journal, Vol. 9 No. 27, August 2005 which is a publication of the Conservative Theological Society.

Premillennialism touches on almost every major branch of systematic theology to one degree or another. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the significance of this pervasive influence, and, by contrast, the perverting influence of amillennialism and postmillennialism.

This article was published in The Conservative Theological Journal, Vol. 8 No. 24, August 2004. This article appears by permission of The Conservative Theological Journal which is published by the Conservative Theological Society.

The Meaning of "The Husband of One Wife" in 1 Timothy 3:2by Andy Woods

This paper examines eight possible interpretations of the phrase "husband of one wife" found in 1 Timothy 3:2. The merits and deficiencies of each approach are explored. The paper will conclude that the this phrase does not deal with the candidate's legal married status but rather pertains to fidelity as part of the candidate's character at the time he is considered for the office of elder. Although it is acceptable for the church to examine the candidate's past sins in order to ascertain the present content of his character, it is inappropriate for the church to use 1 Timothy 3:2 as a basis of holding a candidate's past sins against him in isolation of his current character.

This paper provides an introductory overview of the new theological movement known as "Open Theism." Although this new movement impacts one's understanding of several of God's attributes, this paper will specifically focus upon how openness theology impacts one's understanding of God's foreknowledge. This paper will offer a critique of the openness view of divine foreknowledge from a classical theist perspective. The hermeneutical, biblical, historical, and practical issues in the debate will be explored. This paper was presented at a workshop of the Grace Evangelical Society conference held on February 23, 2004.

What is the Relationship of the Church to the New Covenant?by Andy Woods

Exposition of the New Covenant and its relationship to the church has traditionally proven to be a "sore spot" for dispensational interpreters. Because dispensationalism has all too frequently emphasized Scripture's discontinuity at the expense of its continuity, dispensationalists have often had difficulty explaining the New Testament verses that seemingly apply Israel's New Covenant to the church age. This paper will attempt to demonstrate how the New Covenant relates to the church in a way that maintains the continuity as well as the discontinuity between God's programs for Israel and the church. In pursuance of this end, the following three areas will be explored: the Old Testament's presentation of the New Covenant, what the New Testament presents regarding the New Covenant's ratification and relation to the church, and inadequate views some interpreters have offered concerning how the New Covenant relates to the church.

A straightforward reading of Hosea 11:1 yields merely a historical statement regarding Israel's Exodus experience. Verse 2 corroborates this understanding by highlighting the events of the nation following the Exodus experience. Thus, these verses are merely focusing on the history of the nation rather than the coming messiah. Therefore, at first glance, this passage is not in need of receiving any future fulfilling. However, what makes the passage problematic is that Mathew 2:15 indicates that Hosea 11:1 was fulfilled by events that transpired in the early life of Jesus. In other words, Christ's departure into Egypt to escape the slaughter of the infants by Herod somehow fulfilled the words of Hosea 11:1. What in the context of Hosea 11:1 needed fulfilling when the verse merely looked backward to Israel's historical experiences rather than forward to the coming messiah?

This paper surveys five prominent approaches for identifying Babylon in Revelation 17-18. These approaches include identifying Babylon as the world, Jerusalem, Rome, an end time religious system, and futuristic, literal, rebuilt Babylon. The author leans toward identifying Babylon as the literal, historical city on the banks of the Euphrates as this view seems to have fewer problems than the other views.

An examination of the implications of this passage concerning three aspects of dispensationalism: (1) the relationshp between the covenants; (2) the role of Jesus in the fulfillment of the covenants; and (3) the progress of revelation.

This article was published in The Conservative Theological Journal, Vol. 7 No. 22, December 2003. This article appears by permission of The Conservative Theological Journal which is published by the Conservative Theological Society.

Theological Presuppositions and the Interpretation of Revelationby Steve Lewis

While it may be true that there is common ground among evangelical Christians regarding some areas of Bible prophecy, the important question is, "What is the underlying cause for the differences on points of prophecy?" Whatever accounts for the differences may be more significant and far-reaching than the fact that there is agreement on some issues.

This article was published in The Conservative Theological Journal, Vol. 7 No. 21, August 2003. This article appears by permission of The Conservative Theological Journal which is published by the Conservative Theological Society.

This article explores the accusations made by non-dispensationalists that dispensationalism teaches more than one way of salvation.

This article was published in The Conservative Theological Journal, Vol. 7 No. 20, March 2003. This article appears by permission of The Conservative Theological Journal which is published by the Conservative Theological Society.

Proponents of the "Open" view of God claim to believe in God's infiniteness; therefore the implications of the infinity of God will be explored to determine whether they are consistent with the tenets of open theism.

This article was published in The Conservative Theological Journal, Vol. 7 No. 20, March 2003. This article appears by permission of The Conservative Theological Journal which is published by the Conservative Theological Society.